Thanks for checking out my review of BigStockPhoto.
Today in my review I will be finding out if you could turn your passion for photography into a legit income earning opportunity by using the BigStockPhoto platform.
If you think your photos are pretty good, and are certain that somebody somewhere would pay for your creations, then you’re in luck, because there are quite a few online platforms these days that can help you.
There are numerous stock image companies which offer both amateur and professional photographers the chance to transform their hobby into a money-making venture.
One of the most reliable stock websites through which you can make money from your photos is BigStockPhoto.
What Is BigStockPhoto, and how does it Work?
Founded in 2004 in Davis, California, BigStockPhoto is one of the oldest Microstock sites on the internet. The agency was acquired by Shutterstock, which is the leading Microstock in 2009 on a subscription basis.
Shutterstock’s main motivation for acquiring BigStockPhoto was to open up its business to buyers who preferred a credit system for purchasing images.
Once the acquisition by Shutterstock was finalized in 2010, BigStockPhoto implemented significant changes to its website and changed its name to BigStock.
Although the BigStock website is not as big compared to other similar websites, the platform still ranks very highly among the new microstock agencies due to its high-quality images.
In addition to this, the site has plenty of categories from which subscribers can choose from, hence catering for a wider range of interests and subjects.
BigStock also has a new feature which makes the subscription process incredibly easy and hassle-free.
The website is currently home to over 40 million royalty-free stock images from photographers, illustrators, and artists around the world.
To begin uploading your images on BigStock and earning money from sales, you need to register as a contributor on the website.
You will be required to read the tutorial for contributors and complete a short test. Once you pass the test, you can start uploading and selling your images on the platform.
The website only accepts images in webform or FTP formats. The timeline of review of photos usually varies between 2 – 10 days.
Although there are no limits in the number of FTP files which a contributor can upload on BigStock, the platform puts a cap on the photos an individual can upload. This normally depends on the approval rate of the files which were previously submitted by the contributor.
For users who have an approval rate of 50% or less, the maximum number of files they can upload to BigStock is 10. On the other hand, contributors with an approval rate of 93% can upload as many files as they like since they are not subject to any limit.
If you are interested in finding out what the submission limits are for different approval rates, you can access the complete diagram on the BigStock website.
How Much can you Earn on BigStock?
BigStock normally calculates its contributor’s earnings through a dual-system of payment, namely: extended licenses and sales through partners.
For downloads made through the credit system, contributors are paid $0.50 per image, whereas, for download on subscription, contributors earn between $0.25 and $0.38 for each image.
This royalty-based remuneration scheme also factors in the number of downloads generated in the past 12 months, which means, the earlier you join, the better your chances of increasing your earning potential.
Apart from earning money from the download of photos and images uploaded on BigStock, contributors can also make additional cash through the referral program.
For every first purchase of a contributed image by your referral, you earn 35% of the amount. You also earn 5% for a referred contributor who uploads 75 photos or more.
If you know a lot of people who are into photography either professionally or as a hobby, you can certainly increase your earnings on BigStock significantly by inviting them to join by taking advantage of the referral program.
Once your BigStock account has attained the minimum cashout amount of $30, you can request a payout on the site. The platform remunerates its contributors via PayPal, Skrill, and direct bank deposit.
What Are The Pros Of BigStockPhoto?
– The platform is well established and therefore very reliable
– Reviews are fairly quick compared to other microstock platforms
– The website is continually undergoing updates to make it more user-friendly
– There has been a significant increase in the sale of images from the site
What Are The Cons Of BigStockPhoto?
-Minimum cashout amount is relatively high compared to similar websites
– The process of uploading of photos can be slow at times
Is BigStockPhoto Worth Your Time?
Ever since BigStock phased out the single image format in favor of subscriptions, the volume of sales has increased dramatically.
Obviously, the site still needs to be improved to reduce lag time when uploading images.
Nevertheless, BigStock is steadily rising to the top of the microstock industry, and we would highly recommend it for photographers looking to make a quick buck on their photos.
Star Rating 3/5-A good platform for both professional and amateur photographers alike to sell their best photos. Don’t forget there is a lot of competition, so if you are a beginner you may need to hone your skills before you start to make money.
Thanks for checking out my review of BigStockPhoto. I hope you enjoyed reading it and gained some valuable insight about the platform.
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